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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27580811">The bad loving</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/guccigu1lty/pseuds/guccigu1lty'>guccigu1lty</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Peaky Blinders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:03:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,217</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27580811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/guccigu1lty/pseuds/guccigu1lty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world had always been hers for the taking, maybe that was why they went so well together. Together , she was his flame and he was her ice and God help anyone who dared to take Tommy Shelby's obsession away from him.<br/>In which Tommy Shelby meets his match in the form of a Spanish Gypsy just as wild as he was.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tommy Shelby/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Small Heath, Birmingham. May 1st 191.</em>
</p><p>A woman in a vision of red steps out of the train carriage with a suitcase in hand and small figure wrapped in cloth at her front. The sound of her footsteps leaves behind a whisper of jingles as the anklets adorned on her feet beat against her skin. Her hair flows behind her, wildly and unruly just like the nature she bears within her, creating an image of inky tresses caressing the wind itself. Considering the weather during this time, the clothes she wore were highly inappropriate and one could not help but wonder if this woman with skin the color of polished bronze felt the nippy chill.</p><p>As if she sensed eyes on her, she turned slightly to the direction she felt the eyes and one could see her face and what a face it was to behold. Arched eyebrows sat upon a face with sharp features and even sharper cheekbones. Her face resembled one of the statues one would see in the art galleries; a face one could only imagine a sculptor like Michelangelo would be capable of creating. Despite all this, the only thing one was captivated by instantly were the set of sea green eyes that sat delicately on her face. Even in the darkness and a few meters away, the intensity of the color was so great that it was the only thing one saw. A small smile carved itself on her face and she turned fully towards the eyes she was sure were looking at her now.</p><p>“Care to help me young man?”</p>
<hr/><p>  <em>2 months later</em></p><p>Harry hissed as he pulled his coat closer to his chest than it was already. Rubbing his hands fervently, he cursed the July weather at the cold he felt but overall felt rather happy and light on his feet. A fun night at the pictures with the florist from market on his day off was responsible for his happy mood. Hopefully in a few months if all went well, Harry would have himself a wife.</p><p>He found himself smiling widely at the thought as he made his way towards Garrison Lane towards his pub. Business was doing well and although his pubs was the known gathering center for the Shelby Family, it was an added advantage because no men would dare stir up trouble in a Peaky Blinder bar. Luckily, he had found a woman who didn’t mind the danger that he constantly put himself in by associating closely with the Shelby family.</p><p>His happiness didn’t last long because no sooner was he thinking of said danger did it come and find him:</p><p>“Give me all your money, now!” A hoarse voice demanded shoving him to an alleyway with a heavy-handed punch straight to the nose.</p><p>Shouting out a curse, he went to cup his nose and feel the damage when he was met with another blow to the side and felt the tip of a blade against his torso.</p><p>“Shut up! You make another sound and ill lodge me blade into your stomach and cut you right up.” Another voice whispered harshly in his ear.</p><p>He could have taken them easily if he hadn’t been caught so off-guard by the first punch but with a broken nose and the threat of a blade about to be lodged into him, Harry realized that his life was going too well for him to be stabbed in an alleyway by a bunch of good for nothing kids.</p><p>Raising his hands in surrender, Harry slowly reached into his pocked to retrieve his wallet full of the money he had planned to take out his darling Rose out with for dinner before she had to head home after the pictures because of a headache. Cursing internally, Harry swore he wouldn’t let this slide. Immediately he made his way into the pub, he would tell some of the men there about the incident and these little fuckers would pay for sure. Before he could hand it over however, an accented voice spoke up in the darkness:</p><p>“Did no one tell you children that it’s not good to punch above your weight?”</p><p>Harry and the fuckers turned sharply towards the direction that the voice came from, squinting as they tried to make out the figure in the darkness. Internally, he was praising whatever god he could for the welcomed distraction. With this mysterious person and himself, he was certain they could take these little fuckers and teach them a lesson. Maybe he wouldn’t even need to involve the Peaky Blinders.</p><p>“Oi! Who’s there? Come out and face me like a real man eh.” The leader called out in the darkness, eyes darting from side to side trying to make out the figure in the darkness. His little accomplices were looking as well and Harry could feel the pressure from the blade on his side ease up a little, as he became an afterthought of the robbers. Big mistake.</p><p>“I would, if I were a man of course.” The voice sounded much closer now and almost immediately the words were uttered, one of the smaller boys was snatched up with a shriek.</p><p>Now on alert, the boys turned to Harry’s left where he saw a boy who helped the other who held the knife to his side now held up by the neck at the mercy of another knife.</p><p>“Now , why don’t you be good boys and let go of the man and just maybe I wont tell your mothers that this is what you get up to when they’re not around.”</p><p>Fuck me, Harry thought to himself. His savior was a fucking woman. As if the situation couldn’t get any worse, robbed by children saved by a woman. What’s next?</p><p>“Fuck off lady; you don’t wanna mess with us we’re dangerous men. Me dad’s a Peaky Blinder if you lay a hand on me brother he’ll cut you up a smile.” The leader retorted, trying to seem unafraid but Harry could tell from the way his eyes darted nervously between the boy in the woman’s grasp and the knife in her hands, he was deathly afraid of something happening to the boy. Harry wouldn’t be surprised if they were brothers, no doubt the boy would get a hide unlike any other if his brother died in the hands of a random woman in fucking garrison lane alley.</p><p>“Well let me do you one better and cut your little friend a smile as well so we can be twins eh? I’m sure he’d like that very much, won’t you boy?” To emphasize her point, she patted his cheek in what looked to be an affectionate way but from the way they little boy shrieked, the knife at his throat was clearly pressing deeper into his throat.</p><p>“Wait! You can take the old fucker just don’t hurt my brother, please.” The leader exclaimed, his voice sounding very much like the boy he was and Harry chuckled lowly. This boy had much to learn if he turned into a groveling mess so quickly; this city would eat him up and spit him out.</p><p>“See now that wasn’t too hard now was it? Let the man go first and all of you take ten steps back. Just to be sure of course.” She winked at Harry and all he could think about was the fact that as crazy as this woman was, she was also stunning.</p><p>The group before them glanced at each other wearily, as though wondering if they could trust her but when their leader began stepping back, they were quick to follow him and Harry watched humorously as these wannabe gangsters took their order from a woman. A woman who Harry could now see smiling almost maniacally, the dim street lights illuminating part of her face. His savior was still shrouded in darkness and part of him couldn’t wait for her to step out and show herself.</p><p>Once she seemed satisfied with the boys distance, she carried out a resounding kick on the arse of the boy she held as she dropped her knife from his throat. The boy unsurprisingly broke out into a sprint with his friends following close behind and Harry heard the woman laugh and he would have to, if his nose weren’t throbbing as though it had just been through a boxing match against one of those heavy men at the boxing ring.</p><p>“Here, are you okay?” She handed him what seemed like a red handkerchief and Harry was more than glad to stick it up his nose to plug the blood that seemed to flow forever.</p><p>“I’m alright,” Although due to his broken nose, he wasn’t sure whether she had understood what he said as it sounded like straight gibberish but she did. Her eyebrows crinkled at it but she seemed to understand.</p><p>
  <em>By God wasn’t this woman beautiful, he thought to himself.</em>
</p><p>What a woman like this was doing in a shit hole like Small Heath, Harry would never know but he would appreciate the beauty before him and admire to his heart’s content. She wasn’t from here that much he knew, if it wasn’t from her appearance and how tan her skin was considering this place saw the sun about once a year, her accent gave it away. Her English was comprehendible but she rolled her r’s and he couldn’t help but think that was probably the sexiest way one could speak English.</p><p>“Is there somewhere you can go to fix that up? It looks quite bad and it’s going to be even worse if you don’t do it now.” She seemed concerned and she lifted a delicate hand towards his face as she prodded the sides of his noses softly, making sure not to inflict any pain on him. Her hands jingled as she moved them around and in the dim light Harry could make out the plethora of rings that seemed to adorn her fingers.</p><p>She stepped forward and Harry was certain he had died and gone to heaven. In the dim light, she had been beautiful but in the direct light under the streets, she had been a remarkable sight. A red scarf covered most of her forehead and the top of her head but he could still see the long tresses that escaped and cascaded down her form like a waterfall. Himself he had always liked the hair on his women longer as it gave him something to pull at during sex but the fashion these days dictated short barely there tresses. He was a man however, so he had little to no say in the fashion the women decided to sport so he kept his preferences to himself. However, she didn’t seem like she cared very much for the trends, for her hair was as long as those mermaids he saw painted in the museum the one time he had bothered to go.</p><p>She seemed to be a fan of gold as well, she had a pair of long earrings in the shade that touched her shoulder and he wondered how her ears weren’t stretched to the max. He could also see she had a small golden stud with a green jewel on her nose and the more he looked at her the more he began connecting the dots. Long hair, flowing dresses, jewelry, rings all over, and was that a black Madonna he saw on her neck? This woman must be a gypsy!</p><p>Stepping back as if he had been shocked, Harry cursed himself for his stupidity. If this woman had any affiliations to the other gypsies he knew then he would deliver his balls himself to the Shelbys for his unholy thoughts about her.</p><p>“Its alright. Me pub’s just around the corner. Thanks for the help I guess, if you ever need anything just come up to the garrison and look for me. If I’m not there just ask for Harry, I’m well known around these sides.” With a small tip of his hat, he walked away with his hand still nestling his nose, which was still being covered by her handkerchief.</p><p>“Is it okay if I cash in that favor now? I could use it, a lot really.” She called out from behind him and Harry cursed internally. He was eating his words a lot sooner than he thought he would. She took his stopping as a signal to continue talking.</p><p>“I’m out of work and I need a place to stay. You said you have a bar and from what I’ve heard about it, you have no bar maid. I recommend myself for the position; I assure you there’s no one who knows men and liquor more than me, at least no other woman.” She finished proudly, puffing her chest up slightly as she stepped closer and Harry could hear the slight jingle.</p><p>“Impossible.” Was all he said before he resumed walking. He heard the jingles come closer this time, in no time she had ran, and stood in front of him.</p><p>“Why the fuck not? If it wasn’t for me you’d have a broken nose AND no money. I think you owe me that much sir.” She exclaimed at him as an annoyed expression crossed her face. She had the greenest eyes he had ever seen.</p><p>“Listen I can tell you’re not from here so lemme just tell you. The men here? Animals, all of them. You’re much too nice to be working at my bar. They’ll have you up the wall.” He hoped that was enough to convince her otherwise, most women would be off scampering at the insinuation.</p><p>“Well they can try. I think you’ve seen firsthand at how good I am at handling myself, I’ll cut them up before they even have the chance.” She held her knife up, it glinted dangerously, and Harry was reminded at how delicate he was in this position, if she wanted to, she could easily stab him and leave him to bleed out in this horseshit street. Funny enough, he knew she would fit right in with another group of people who liked to cut up people.</p><p>“Fine then, tomorrow at eight. You’ll help me set up. Don’t be late or ill consider this favor done. This doesn’t mean you have the job though, you have to prove yourself.” He had nothing to lose and the woman was right, he needed a barmaid to help. Besides, a beautiful seemingly exotic barmaid would be good for business.</p><p>He side stepped her and began walking to the garrison, he needed to get there quickly for the throbbing in his nose was only becoming greater.</p><p>“Aren’t you gonna ask me my name?” She called out behind him and he was grateful she wasn’t following him again. He decided to humor him and he turned his head towards her with an expectant shrug.</p><p>“My name is Alejandra; maybe one day I’ll let you call me Ale.” She joked with him and he humored her with a light laugh and a shake of his head.</p><p>“Highly unlikely sweetheart.” With those parting words, he walked briskly into the pub.</p><p>It seemed like Alejandra would have to thank her little helpers for their efforts in securing her a job.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Welcome to Birmingham</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alejandra meets the Queen of Birmingham.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just as she expected, Harry hired Ale on the spot once he witnessed her work.</p><p>Despite it being the morning, many of the bars patrons had come in for their pints a few hours past noon. She said nothing but she concluded that all the men in this city must be raging alcoholics. She couldn’t blame them for if she too were confined in this city her entire life, she would have one foot halfway into the grave.</p><p>He handed her the spare keys to the bar right before she broke for her lunch break and subsequently her entire day off. Harry did not know that she did not intend to come back but what he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him. Some part of her felt a little guilty for the methods she had employed to get this job but men had been doing much worse to her kind since the beginning of time. He would survive a small broken nose and it made him look just as scrappy and tough as the other factory workers, the story in which he got it perhaps not so much.</p><p>“Right even though you’re hired you’re still on probation for now. You still haven’t handled the bar on a busy night and you still haven’t met the real bosses of this bar.” He called out from behind the bar as he whipped down the counter. Alejandra sat across him on one of the chairs following his movements when he startled her out of her daydreams.</p><p>“I was under the impression that you owned this bar,” She wasn’t interested in dealing with unbearable men as her bosses. She was rather getting used to Harry as her boss.</p><p>“Well yes but,” Rather dramatically, he set down the towel on the counter and turned to face her with a serious expression. “I am the owner on paper but there are certain men who frequent here. It’s very much their pub as it is mine.”</p><p>“What? Like a partners agreement or something? You’re going to have to be more specific about my new bosses, <em>boss.</em>” Of course, she knew of the associations attached to this bar. She wasn’t stupid for God’s sake; at the very least, she had investigated the bars in the city.</p><p>The Marquis had been her piqued her interest first but when she heard that they only served men of one skin tone she immediately ruled it out. She still wasn’t sure what her standing as a gypsy woman was in this city was but she was certain the color of her skin would not have let her even step a foot into that bar. To them, the color of her skin was enough to place her on a lower level than them all.</p><p>The bars on the Italian side of the city had been her second option. She didn’t know Italian yes but she was fluent in her native Spanish. The languages were similar after all and she was sure she would have been fluent in the language in a few months of working there but the nature of the men who frequented those sides was enough to repel her. It was true that a large percentage of men in this city were not men of morals and wouldn’t hesitate to force women if the ugly head of the demon known as lust reared its head but the Italians striked a whole new level of fear in her. She knew how the Machismo men in Spain behaved once they had only a few sips of whiskey were and she didn’t want to tempt trouble in the form of an Italian Mafia.</p><p>Thus, The Garrison had emerged the winner in her job hunt. Once she found it that a gang in which the leaders claimed to be gypsies just like her controlled it, she made up her mind immediately. She would like to consider them kin in that sense and in a more literal sense maybe. While she was here, she thought it wise to try to get in touch with her grandmother’s family who were also gypsies from these sides. Alejandra had always choses the hardest way, something that had been ingrained into her by her mother and later on, the nuns who raised her. She knew women who looked like her could never get things easily in a world engineered to bring her downfall so why not stick it out and begin with the toughest way instead? That was what she would repeat to herself in the future anytime she began to regret taking this job instead of becoming a seamstress as others did.</p><p>“Not a partner, what are you stupid? Do you not know the men who come here? How long you been here anywhere, a few days?” He was getting annoyed now and she knew she had to salvage this before she lost her job thirty minutes after she got it.</p><p>“If it’s about the Peaky Blinders I assure you there will be no problems there. I can take them.” She shrugged resulting in an accompanying jingle from her bracelets. She was in vain in that way, just because she was dirt poor didn’t mean she didn’t enjoy her jewelry and she made sure to wear them wherever she went. She never knew when she could meet the love of her life and have him fall madly in love with her just from the way her bangle jingled.</p><p>“Are you crazy or what! You wanna lose your fucking eyes well you can do that but not while employed in me pub. God knows if you make them angry enough they’ll come after me as well.” Oh now he was angry. Getting up on her feet, she closed the distance and leaned over the bar top to him.</p><p>“Relax Harry. You have my word that while I work for you I shall be on my best behavior. I promise not to invite the anger of the peaky blinders and be blinded while working for you okay? Now can I go, im not getting any younger you know?”</p><p>She was halfway across to the door when he called out, seemingly content with her words of assurance:</p><p>“You still haven’t told me where you’re from and what you’re doing here. Am I to think of this as a temporary filling of the job?”</p><p>“Think whatever you want boss. I’ll be here a while I’m afraid.” With that, she was out of the garrison and bracing the smoke filled air of Birmingham.</p><p>Now, she had a vendetta to settle.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Alejandra stood on the side with her back leaning on the wall as she observed the woman’s stall. She had come with the intention to stop anyone who looked as disadvantaged as her be it in terms of social standing or skin but so far she had seen none. It seemed like all the women who bought their vegetables from this stall were just as horrible as the owner was. Many of them had snickered and laughed with the witch who Ale was sure was as miserable as she was a racist.</p><p>That was until; a woman dressed in all black came by finally. Looking very much like the statue of the Black Madonna, she recalled her grandmother showing her once on the road, she was a vision in black with a black lacy veil on her head. She walked with a certain air and grace to her that was rare to see in this hole in the world where everyone was either a gangster who worked in a factory or a whore. Infect the woman walked as though she was the Queen of England itself with two burly men behind her who trailed behind her like shadows dressed in all black save for the grey newspaper boy hats they had on their heads. Ale sighed and got off the wall knowing she owed it to her grandmother to save this woman from the fate she had subjected the rest of the other customers. She feared her grandmother would strike her dead if she dared to allow a woman wearing a black Madonna rosary to be the latest victim of her petty vengeance.</p><p>She pretended to be a customer, lingering around the various stalls that sold the produce. Some of it to their credit actually seemed fresh and had Ale not been a strong believer in getting her produce straight from the farm itself, she would have bought herself some. However, now with her new job which would require her to work nights mostly and sometimes during the day as well, she would have to adapt to the change.</p><p>Finally, the black veiled woman stopped before the hag’s, Mrs. Johnson, stall and she could see the way she was addressed. It seemed to her that Mrs. Johnson revered the woman, even feared her and at that moment, Ale wanted to slap herself at her stupidity. The Black Madonna rosary, the men trailing behind her in newspaper boy hats which seemed to gleam when the light hit them in a certain way? This woman must have been associated with the Peaky Blinders and it would be just her luck if she was the wife of the leader and Ale would be guilty of poisoning the wife of the leader of the Peaky Blinders. Just as she had sworn to Harry to stay out of trouble, here she was creating her own mess. She had to fix this and fast.</p><p>Alejandra began moving towards her, basket in hand and a fake enthusiastic smile plastered on her face for Mrs. Johnson. No doubt, the old witch recognized her but she did not dare shout the insult to her face with this woman in front of her. Her fear of her was greater than her hatred of Alejandra and she would use it to her advantage.</p><p>“Hello Mrs. Johnson, doing okay?” She cursed internally at how fake she sounded but patted herself on the back for how convincing her accent sounded. A few more months here and she was certain she would sound more like them.</p><p>“Of course Miss. What can I get for you today?” Mrs. Johnson was the vision of a perfect owner, polite and caring for her customers one wouldn’t have guessed she had spat at her just the previous day. In front of her baby nonetheless, how rude.</p><p>“Just some of your very fresh lovely fruits. I was planning on making a lovely fruit cake tonight in celebration and you know yours are the best in Birmingham.” Oh, she was living for getting on her nerves and from the tight lipped smile she shot her, Ale knew she was succeeding.</p><p>The woman in black still had yet to even cast her a glance but Ale was a master when it came to reading body language so she knew she was listening in on her conversation. Good, she had her attention, which would make it easier for her to talk to her once they left.</p><p>“Alright I think that’s enough for me. See you next week Mrs. Johnson,” The woman surprised her by being the first one to leave and to her surprise; she didn’t even have to pay! That was all she needed to confirm that this woman was important and she would be blinded at first light if what she did were discovered.</p><p>“Of course Mrs. Gray. Good day to you and the rest of the family.” What a fake bitch. Now Ale had a name to the face, Mrs. Gray. She would have to ask Harry about the Grays in Birmingham. Instantly after Mrs. Gray had made the turn on the street, Mrs. Johnson’s face contorted into that of a monster as she practically sneered at her.</p><p>“You leave here immediately you gypsy whore!” Ale smiled mockingly at her and gave a mock salute as she ran to catch up with Mrs. Gray. For a woman so small she sure seemed like one to be revered.</p><p>“Excuse me Mrs. Gray,” she said once she was within hearing range a few meters behind. The men who were accompanying her seemed like they would draw a gun to her face for even uttering her name but thankfully they had their hands full with the bags filled with produce.</p><p>Mrs. Gray didn’t even bother to turn to her and only stopped which Ale took as a signal to go on.</p><p>“You don’t know me and up till a few minutes ago I didn’t know you but I feel like I must warn you out of the goodness of my heart and for the sake of the black Madonna you’re wearing on your neck. I wouldn’t advice cooking any of that food that you bought.” She shifted almost nervously on her feet at the silence that followed then finally Mrs. Gray turned back slightly to look at her. Her eyes were sharp and her cheekbones were impossibly high which gave her the regal look of the queen she seemed to be.</p><p>Then, silently, Mrs. Gray turned forward and continued walking without sparing her a second look. Ale scoffed indignantly and kicked a stray stone on the ground in her direction. This was what she got for trying to be nice and saving a woman who wore a black Madonna similar to her grandmother’s. Ignored and possibly in danger if the woman did decide to eat it and damn her family to a weeks’ worth of food poisoning.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It was six in the evening by the time Ale made her way towards Garrison Lane. The festivities had begun early and she swore she saw a couple fucking behind a pale of coal and she grimaced. Absolutely nothing in sight served as an aphrodisiac that she could even imagine motivating anyone to fuck here. Perhaps the horses, they loved the mud and shit.</p><p>Walking in, Ale managed to almost shrink herself as she maneuvered the patrons present in the bar drinking. She didn’t think she had been that late to her first official shift but clearly, the men in this town had a drinking problem. Luckily, Harry didn’t seem too stressed with everyone and most of the men there drank in small groups. Things weren’t rowdy, yet.</p><p>“I’m so sorry Harry I thought things don’t pick up until seven.” She put on her apron quickly and brushed back some stray hairs with her fingers. She had decided to forego the heavy jewelry tonight and decided when she worked she would only have on one pair of her hoops and her nose jewelry in. Anything else would attract the wrong attention from the men. Not that she couldn’t handle it but she thought it best for everyone if she didn’t begin her first official shift by cutting a handsy customer.</p><p>“Eh it’s alright. Things aren’t that much busy right now. You can start by going in the back and filling these cups with some beer from the keg. You still remember how to work it eh?” He was in a good mood thankfully. Maybe he had seen that woman she had seen him with a week ago. Pretty thing but even she saw that wasn’t going anywhere, not that she would tell him that.</p><p>“Yes sir,” Mocking in salute, she took the glasses off the tray and made her way towards the back and down the narrow stairs that led to the bars storage. Although this wasn’t what her father probably envisioned her doing with all that fancy education she had received, years of watching him and her brothers entertain guest had made her pretty good at identifying different drinks. The Spanish were raging alcoholics.</p><p>The keg didn’t need much touching before she was purring like a kitten with a belly full of milk and as soon as she was in, she was out. Which was good because Ale had come to hate the darkness and all it brought with it. Making her way up, she seemed to have been thrust into a completely new world as the bar was packed to full capacity. Her confused expression was clearly present on her face for when she made it back to Harry at the back of the bar he was quick to pluck the beer mugs off her hands.</p><p>“You’d better be faster than that. It’s looking to be an extremely busy night. Men from the factories got a bonus and are looking to spend it here on the booze so you’d better be at their beck and call.” He as halfway across the room by the time he finished saying those words and Ale gave him a firm nod. She worked really well under pressure.</p><p>The time whizzed by and Ale was surprisingly having fun. The men weren’t so handsy here when they had their own female company but Ale knew it was mostly because of who this bar belonged to. She didn’t even know the peaky blinders but she was thankful for their invisible protection. Although the time flew by, the patrons continued to pour in and Ale was sure there was no more fresh air in the room, what with all the booze and shouts in the bar. If only her father could see her now, he would demand her immediate devotion to God after being in the presence of such company. Low company as he always spat out surrounded by his fellow high society friends knowing fully that to most her status as a gypsy classed her exactly with those low people. In truth, part of her belonged here as well.</p><p>Then the moment she had dreaded descended on her when she saw a familiar woman making her way towards her. Hoping she hadn’t seen her, she muttered an excuse about refilling the keg to Harry and made her way towards the basement storage one again; letting out a sigh of relief once she made her way down those narrow stairs. Her relief was short lived however, for when she began to check up on the almost empty keg, a voice spoke up behind her.</p><p>“You have some nerve. Doing whatever you did to Mrs. Johnson’s produce. Who are you girl and what was your reason for it?” Ale feared turning back thinking Mrs. Gray probably held a gun to her face but as she mustered some courage and turned around, she was relieved to find that was not the case.</p><p>“Did you eat it?” Was all she managed to ask in between swallowing huge gulps of her own saliva. God this room was much smaller than she remembered.</p><p>“No, fed it to my nephew figured he could spend at least one night home with his children. He’s come down with an awful case of a runny stomach it seems.” She moved forward, reached over to the side where Ale saw her take a bottle of whiskey, and opened it up. Oh, she was an important woman all right to be drinking from the storage straight without paying.</p><p>“I told you there was something in it. Figured I would at least spare you from that due to the black Madonna on your neck. We gypsies have to stick together and it would do me more harm than good to get on the bad side of an elder gypsy woman.” The woman was now staring at her intently and Ale took a step forward. Call her crazy but a part of her knew she wouldn’t hurt her, if she wanted to she would have already.</p><p>“You’re a gypsy then?” She stated more than asked and Ale knew her ways of dressing made it very clear. They may live in different countries but gypsies had an almost identical way of dressing.</p><p>“As I live and breathe. Seeing as your nephew must be a gypsy as well, I can bring you something to help tomorrow if you decide to lift his punishment.” Mrs. Gray said nothing and sat down as she took another sip of the whiskey. Then after a moment, she extended the bottle to Ale whose facial expression portrayed shock to which Mrs. Gray smiled at.</p><p>“We gypsies have to stick together eh, hope you like Irish. It’s all we drink here.” Ale nodded at her in thanks and gulped down the whiskey like water. It was sharp but nothing she was not used to, she could hold her liquor well.</p><p>“Why did you do that to Mrs. Johnson? It’s my understanding that you’re new in town so what revenge could you be exerting on that old lady?” She asked again. From the corner of her eye, Ale could see she was looking at her but she chose not to return the gaze.</p><p>“She called me a gypsy whore and spat at me the other day when I was trying to buy from her. Figured I would give her a taste of her own medicine, like any good gypsy whore would.” She winked at her when she said those last words and Mrs. Gray surprisingly laughed at that. Ale found herself smiling at her laugh and something about the moment reminded her much of the moments she shared with her own mother.</p><p>“You know what? I’ve decided I rather like you. Tell me, what’s your name?” She removed a case of cigarettes from her coat and lit a match to one of them. She smoked the black cigarettes for women and she was tempted to ask for one despite knowing they were poor in comparison to the ones men smoked but kept quiet.</p><p>“Alejandra Mrs. Gray. At your service ma’am.” She gave a mock salute at which Mrs. Gray smiled at before getting on her feet.</p><p>“You bring that medicine of yours down by the betting shop tomorrow girl. Harry should show you where it is if you don’t know already and ask for Polly.” Ale nodded and stood up with her as they walked to the exit of the basement.</p><p>“Welcome to Birmingham sweetheart.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know im super late but better late than never am i right? Anyways i hope you enjoy the chapter and im so happy with the positive feedback ive recieved so far. Next chapter will be when the first season kicks in and I'm excited to begin exploring the relationship between our main leads. As always leave a kudos if you like it or a comment! I love reading them.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Figured I would write a fic myself. Hope you enjoy :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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